I'm analyzing the possibility of going to a goenka retreat although im really interested in tibetan buddhism. I would like to know how i would response to a retreat like that and im thinking that maybe it would be a nice base before going into more "complex" vajrayana practices. What do you think fellow practitioners?

Goenka retreats are fantastic. I have a fellow vajra brother in the Kagyu tradition that also "leads" Goenka retreats and has taught Goenka Vipassana at Kagyu centres.

Now the only problem is if you have samaya for practices, but even then... it is not as if you will be leaving the practices to engage in sex, drugs and rock'n'roll (and there's always Vajrasattva practice and 35 Confession Buddha practices to make up for the samaya breakages).

gregkavarnos wrote: the only problem is if you have samaya for practices (and there's always Vajrasattva practice and 35 Confession Buddha practices to make up for the samaya breakages).

Preforming wrong actions and then confessing them and so forth is like drinking poison and then drinking the antidote.

"Since you greatly extend the time needed to attain such things as knowledge of the path, strive not to be tarnished by faults from the start. The Buddha said that for this reason noble beings do not consciously engage in even the subtlest of sins or infractions, even for the sake of their own lives. If it was the case that purity through confession was similar to faults that have never taken place, then there would be no need to act in this way."-Lam Rim Chen Mo eng v01 pg. 257 tib pg 201

Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.Through the qualities of meditating in that way,Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

Konchog1 wrote:Preforming wrong actions and then confessing them and so forth is like drinking poison and then drinking the antidote.

"Since you greatly extend the time needed to attain such things as knowledge of the path, strive not to be tarnished by faults from the start. The Buddha said that for this reason noble beings do not consciously engage in even the subtlest of sins or infractions, even for the sake of their own lives. If it was the case that purity through confession was similar to faults that have never taken place, then there would be no need to act in this way."-Lam Rim Chen Mo eng v01 pg. 257 tib pg 201

Doing a 24 hour per day Vipassana retreat instead of seven Medicine Buddha mantras a day is wrong action??? Chill out dude! I am sure that if they talk to the lama that gave them the samaya, that they will be quite happy for TaTa to "make up" for the whole 7 mantra a day that they "missed out" on during the course of the retreat. I'm also sure that Sangye Menla won't mind that TaTa spent 10 days practicing like a lunatic in order to better benefit sentient beings.

Vows are taken to affect ones mind stream in a positive manner, if the vow is "broken" for a greater positive effect then the intention behind the vow has not been broken. ie no infraction. Vows are not about guilt trips. Chill out!

Konchog1 wrote:Preforming wrong actions and then confessing them and so forth is like drinking poison and then drinking the antidote.

"Since you greatly extend the time needed to attain such things as knowledge of the path, strive not to be tarnished by faults from the start. The Buddha said that for this reason noble beings do not consciously engage in even the subtlest of sins or infractions, even for the sake of their own lives. If it was the case that purity through confession was similar to faults that have never taken place, then there would be no need to act in this way."-Lam Rim Chen Mo eng v01 pg. 257 tib pg 201

Doing a 24 hour per day Vipassana retreat instead of seven Medicine Buddha mantras a day is wrong action??? Chill out dude! I am sure that if they talk to the lama that gave them the samaya, that they will be quite happy for TaTa to "make up" for the whole 7 mantra a day that they "missed out" on during the course of the retreat. I'm also sure that Sangye Menla won't mind that TaTa spent 10 days practicing like a lunatic in order to better benefit sentient beings.

Vows are taken to affect ones mind stream in a positive manner, if the vow is "broken" for a greater positive effect then the intention behind the vow has not been broken. ie no infraction. Vows are not about guilt trips. Chill out!

When did I ever mention Vipassana retreats? My objection was to your assertion that wrong actions can be preformed because one can simply practice the four powers afterwards. My understanding is that that is not a correct view.

Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.Through the qualities of meditating in that way,Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

I do but unfortunately i wont be able to see him for a couple of months because he went on reatreat and the activites in my local center are suspended in summer, and i also go on a 1 or 2 month trips now. (here in buenos aires in january nobody is left in the city =P ) so i wont be able to talk to him about this. Although i consider him my teacher i have only went to this kagyu center for a couple of months so maybe he wont mind hehe. i dont really know!